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Toxic Contamination in the Great Lakes Region What's New | General Resources | Databases | Networks | Programs and Projects Publications | Related Resources 
What's New Evanston looks for faster lake water tests Chicago Tribune (5/16) The city of Evanston, Ill., is partnering with federal and state agencies to help the city better determine when bacteria levels will make the water unhealthy at local beaches. Group pushes beach grooming law Traverse City Record-Eagle (5/10) Great Lakes shoreline owners want to groom beaches to the water's edge without a state permit, a move that they say is necessary to combat invasive plants, clean up mussel shells and keep E. coli outbreaks at bay. DNR warns water is unsafe to drink near power plant TMJ4 - Oak Creek, WI (5/3) Studies are being conducted by the Wisconsin DNR to determine the source of contamination of several residents' wells near the Oak Creek Power Plant. Lead in garden products & loosestrife beetles The Environment Report (5/3) This week's Environment Report highlights toxic substances found in common garden products, and the ways in which people in Michigan are using one non-native species to control another. Wildlife federation: Enbridge oil spill didn't spur change in regulations Detroit Free Press (5/1) A new report from the National Wildlife Federation notes that, even though much attention has been focused on the section of the Enbridge oil pipeline that ruptured near Kalamazoo, Mich., it is far from the only area of concern. Using spring temperatures to predict summer slime Great Lakes Echo (5/1) To predict how much muck will wash up on Lake Ontario beaches in the summer, it might make sense to look at spring temperatures. Lots of things cause algae – too many nutrients, zebra mussels, storms, sunlight. But new research suggests that earlier, warmer spring temperatures that quickly heat Lake Ontario’s nearshore areas spur summer growth of smelly, slimy algae.
General Resources Human Health and the Great Lakes U.S. EPA Region 5 / Great Lakes Commission Featuring information on hot topics like drinking water and fish consumption, Human Health and the Great Lakes provides complete and up-to-date information about issues of human health in the Great Lakes region. Also contains a comprehensive glossary of Great Lakes terms and several links to related online resources. Based on data taken from the EPA's Lakewide Management Plan (LaMP) studies. TEACH Great Lakes: Water Pollution Water pollution is defined as a change in the chemical, physical and biological health of a waterway due to a human activity: sewage disposal, toxic contamination through heavy metals and pesticides, overdevelopment of the water's edge, and more... Water Environment Federation WEF is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization that provides a range of materials describing today's water quality issues, including household hazardous waste, biosolids recycling, and watershed management. Water Pollution in Canada Environment Canada's Freshwater Web Focuses on toxic substances in the aquatic environment, effects of pollution, and control mechanisms.
Databases Contaminated Sediments and the Great Lakes University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute This fact sheet explains how contaminants build up in sediment, how they affect the food chain and why the Great Lakes are susceptible. Envirofacts U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) A relational database that integrates data from four major USEPA program systems: Permit Compliance System; Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System; Toxic Release Inventory System; and Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System. Great Lakes Regional Air Toxic Emissions Inventory Great Lakes Commission The Great Lakes states are creating this regional database, which will establish a baseline using 1993 data on point and area source emissions of 49 toxic air pollutants identified as significant contributors to the contamination of the Great Lakes.
Networks EXtension TOXicology NETwork Univ. of California, Davis, Michigan State, Oregon State and Cornell Universities This cooperative network includes a wide range of resources related to toxicology.
Programs and Projects Atlas of America’s Polluted Waters Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water Includes state maps showing waters that do not meet state water quality standards. Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Program Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Designed to reduce nonpoint pollution in the Lake Superior Basin. FoodWatch Environmental Defence Canada FoodWatch provides meaningful information and effective tools for making informed decisions about food safety, and act on these decisions to achieve better human and environmental health. Fox River Watch A project of the Clean Water Action Council of northeastern Wisconsin, this site contains extensive information for the public about PCB contamination of the Fox River and Green Bay, the proposed cleanup, and health effects of exposure to PCBs. Great Lakes Human Health Effects Research Program Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The ATSDR research program is designed to investigate and characterize the association between the consumption of contaminated Great Lakes fish and short- and long-term harmful health effects. Great Lakes Mid-Atlantic Center for Hazardous Substance Research The mission of the Center is to foster and support integrated, interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts that advance and benefit human and environmental health and well-being. Investigators from the universities join forces to tackle issues related to the development and application of bioremediation technologies for contaminated soils and groundwater. Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Mass balance studies are a scientific method for evaluating the sources, transport and fate of contaminants entering a water system, and the effects of those contaminants on water quality. See also Mass Balance Public Outreach, Lake Michigan Federation. Research in Microcontaminants & Water Quality University of Wisconsin Sea Grant This subprogram was developed in response to the Great Lakes problems of chemical contamination and eutrophication.
Publications Airborne Contaminants and the Great Lakes University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute Fact sheet explains where contaminants come from, how they are deposited and their effects. An Advocate's Field Guide to Protecting Lake Michigan Alliance for the Great Lakes After two years of research by organizations around Lake Michigan, this guidebook identifies basinwide threats; it is organized into three chapters: habitat restoration, toxic elimination and land and water conservation. Contaminated Sediments and the Great Lakes University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute This fact sheet explains how contaminants build up in sediment, how they affect the food chain and why the Great Lakes are susceptible. How Did the Poison Get into the Trout? National Wildlife Federation In the 1980s, biologists found the banned pesticide toxaphene in the lake's trout, sediment and water. Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Mass balance studies are a scientific method for evaluating the sources, transport and fate of contaminants entering a water system, and the effects of those contaminants on water quality. Mercury Source Sector Assessment for the Greater Milwaukee Area U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Developed to help set priorities for developing cooperative mercury education, technical assistance and collection programs. Niagara River Toxics Management Plan U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Since 1987, the Niagara River has been the focus of attention for four environmental agencies in the United States and Canada that are committed to reducing toxic chemical contamination. Wisconsin Mercury SourceBook U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Intended for use by anyone involved in drafting a reduction plan for mercury, including sewerage districts, community or trade associations, and government agencies.
Related Resources GLIN: Air Toxics in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Contaminated Sediments in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Environmental Research in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Great Lakes Fish Consumption Advisories GLIN: Hazardous Materials and Spills in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Human Health Effects of Pollution in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Superfund Sites in the Great Lakes Region GLIN: Wet Weather Pollution in the Great Lakes Region
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